TARBORO —
BUNN – It was a very emotional moment after the SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars 31-14 loss to the Bunn Wildcats Friday night in the second round of the NCHSAA 2-AA state playoffs. Fans and players were tearing up as Cougars head coach Raymond Cobb gave his final post game speech as the Cougars head skipper as he told his team how much they meant to him.
Cobb is stepping down after 25 years in the business. He finishes his career with over 250 career wins and two state titles under his belt.
"I have been blessed to coach a lot of great players," Cobb said. "It has really been fun. I have made a lot of memories and have been very blessed to be a part of some really good teams."
Cobb will have plenty of time to reflect on his memories of the coaches he has worked with, the players he has coached and the opposing coaches he has coached against because he will officially retire after the first semester of school is completed.
"It has really been a great ride." Cobb said. "I couldn't be happier to have coached this group here now. They have worked so hard for me and my staff."
Coming into the game, Cobb had told his team that they were going to have to stop Bunn's running game. They had a problem stopping the Wildcats running back Tarik Cohen. He broke tackle after tackle and refused to come down. He scored twice and gained 175 yards on 24 carries.
After an onside kick attempt to start the game failed for the Cougars, the Wildcats started from their own 41-yard line. They put a six play drive together in just over two minutes. They capped the drive off when quarterback Dillon Autrey connected with Jonathan Alston on a 20-yard TD pass. Freeman Jones' extra point try was good and Bunn led 7-0.
Bunn forced the Cougars to punt on the ensuing possession. Bunn then started from their own 39-yard line with 5:26 left to play in the first quarter. This time they put an eight play drive together and capped it off with a 17-yard TD run by Cohen. The extra point try by Jones was good and the WIldcats led 14-0 with 2:41 left in the first.
The Cougars offense woke up on their second possession after being down two scores. Cobb went to what has worked for the them all year and that is milking the clock and controlling the football. SouthWest put a 13-play drive together that was capped off by a Gerald Hinton 1-yard run. The two-point conversion failed and the Cougars trailed 14-6 with 9:24 left before halftime.
With 2:59 left before halftime, Cohen again scored on a 14-yard run to give the Wildcats a commanding 21-6 lead. The Wildcats answered again with just 2 second left before halftime. They called a time out facing a fourth and five from their own 30-yard line. Bunn selected to go for the field goal and sent Jones out to try a 42-yard attempt, which split the uprights and Bunn led 24-6 at halftime.
Bunn scored again in the fourth quarter with 8:54 left when Karilee McLean scored on a 5-yard run.
The Cougars got the ball back with just over 2 minutes remaining in the game. This was the last offensive series that Cobb was going to call as a head coach for the Cougars. Facing a third and 10 with just 1:44 left in the game, quarterback Quay Wooten connected with Anthony Coley who was wide open near the Cougars sideline. Coley turned and sprinted 69-yards for the TD. Wooten connected with Fabrion Bandy for the two-point conversion.
"Bunn played a heck of a game on both sides of the ball," Cobb said. "They beat us in all three phases of the game. They made the big plays. They hit their receiver for big plays and their back was fantastic. He is an awesome football player."
Hinton finished his career with a positive game. He rushed for 122 yards on 19 carries. He finished the season with 216 carries and rushed for 1,629 yards and scored 23 TDs.
After the game, Cobb and his team huddled in the end zone and talked about the loss. Cobb told all of his players that he was glad they had showed class all year and told each of them that he loved them.
"I want to thank each of you for your commitment this year," Cobb said. "I am so very proud of all of you for your hard work and effort you have given me and the coaching staff all year."
After Cobb was done talking to his team, he let each individual coach talk to the players, and they echoed most of what Cobb had already said.
Cobb said for the last two seasons, his team has worked extra hard for him and has never given up. The talent level dropped off a year ago and we got banged four weeks in a row and we turned it around and made it positive. It is because the kids continued to work hard everyday without giving up.
"We accomplished about what we were capable of accomplishing this year,' Cobb said. "I am just proud of these guys for not giving up."
Sports
Related Photos
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SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars quarterback Quay Wooten runs towards the sidelines to avoid a tackle during Friday nights second round NCHSAA 2-AA state playoff game.
Cougars clawed by Wildcats 30-14
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14-Under softball tryout
The Tarboro Parks and Recreation Department and Edgecombe County Girls Softball League will be having tryouts for 14-under girls fast-pitch softball Wednesday, May 29 from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at Farmington Park in Rocky Mount. The is located at 319 Wellington Dr. There will also be a tryout Thursday, May 30 at Indian Lake Sports Complex on field 1 in Tarboro from 6 - 7:30 p.m. There is a $10 fee for Tarboro residents and a $35 fee for non-residents. For more information call the sports complex at 641-4202, Kathy Webb 252-813-4697 or Jamie Lindsey 252-883-0883 or sftbllgrlunc@hotmail.com.
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Thorne tabbed Regional Player of the Year
Tarboro Lady Vikings forward Shayla Thorne is still learning about the game of soccer. She has turned into one of the best female soccer players in school history. Every time she takes the field she gets better and better, because of her hard work and the help of her teammates. Her hard work paid off for her during her junior year as she led the Vikings with a winning record, co-confoerence championship and into the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
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Cobb, Rhodes inducted in Cougars Hall of Fame
PINETOPS – The SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars athletic department inducted two legendary coaches into their Hall of Fame Monday night. Former football coach Raymond Cobb and former baseball coach Bruce Rhodes were the recipients of the awards.
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SWE Athletes of the Year
SouthWest Edgecombe Cougar Dawson Gould was named Female Athlete of the Year and Kenneth Plummer was named Male Athlete of the Year Monday night at the Cougars annual athletic awards banquet. Gould played volleyball, basketball and softball. Plummer played football, ran indoor and outdoor track.
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Pinetops 300
PINETOPS – With the threat of rain during the weekend, it put a little damper on the Pinetops 300 Tractor and Truck Pull attendance. Friday night there was a large crowd in attendance, but not the amount it has been the last several years. There was 500 less people in attendance Friday then there was a year ago, but it didn't stop the pullers from slinging mud everywhere. The fans in one section even had a chance to see what it looked like when a belt breaks on a fine tuned machine. During the Mini Modified run, Thomas Coleman, of Stoneville, had a belt break on his KB 526 Pure Hell ride and the belt slung into the crowd. No one was injured.
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Vikings, Cougars compete in 2-A state meet
The Tarboro Vikings and SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars had six girls apiece competing in the NCHSAA 2-A state track meet in Greensboro Friday at North Carolina A&T State University.
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Six Tarboro girls to compete in track finals
Motivation is a big part of the Tarboro Viking girl's track team's success this season. They enjoy working hard during practice for their coach Rickie Dozier and get fulfillment when they compete in events. Friday will be no different for the six girls that are headed to Greensboro to compete in the NCHSAA 2-A state championship meet at North Carolina A&T State University. They will compete in three relay events and the long jump.
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BIG FISH
Camden Grant and her boyfriend Ricky Davis, Jr. caught a 10 pound carp at a state wildlife pond Wednesday morning off of Highway 33 just outside of Tarboro. Grant said she caught the fish on a piece of shrimp around 10:30 a.m.
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Vikings ousted from playoffs by Jaguars
CARRBORO – After defeating the No. 1 seed in the playoffs Friday, the Tarboro Vikings forgot one thing, they had to hit the ball again Tuesday against the Carrboro Jaguars or their season would be over.
Tarboro failed to be productive at the plate and were eliminated from the NCHSAA 2-A playoffs after losing 8-0 in the second round. Tarboro never gave in after getting down early, but they just couldn't catch a break offensively and get anything going after trailing by five runs after the second inning. -
Cougars finish 7th in state golf match
The SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars went through the regionals and won by four strokes. They just couldn't get it going in the state golf championships Monday or Tuesday at Longleaf Golf and Country Club in Southern Pines. The Cougars finished seventh as a team after shooting 658 over the two day period.
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